2010.12.07 - Music Radar - The 30 Greatest Lead Singers Of All Time (Axl at #1)

The 30 greatest lead singers of all time

The best frontmen and women in music as voted for by you

1. Axl Rose (Guns N' Roses)

The public have spoken, and we can’t think of a more contentious choice for the greatest lead singer of all time. Forget the moustachioed, cornrowed croaking caricature of recent years and think back to the late 1980s. Axl Rose: dangerous, lean, angry, confrontational, controversial; the hotheaded, horny ginger stepchild of Steven Tyler and Robert Plant, a born rock star who made being fashionably late a lifestyle choice and started riots in the process.

In his autobiography, Slash recounts his first encounter with that legendary voice: “Izzy brought me a tape of his band… it sounded like they were playing deep inside a jet engine. But through the static din, way in the background, I heard something intriguing, that I believed to be their singer’s voice. It was hard to make out and his squeal was so high-pitched that I thought it might be a technical flaw in the tape. It sounded like the squeak that a cassette makes just before the tape snaps – except it was in key.”

Your votes:

"Controversial, but if your looking for someone you just can't ignore for the voice, presence, song writing, and just plain prima donna frontman persona, then Axl Rose. Or for the nice guy, less of a voice, harder to hear but still intriguing vote, Michael Stipe." (From MrGawain, thanks)

"Axl Rose." (From Sondre and Chester via Facebook, thanks)

"Axl Rose." (From @MojoBak, @Joseevita via Twitter, thanks)

"Who is the greatest lead singer of all time? Axl Rose of course! Ronnie James Dio and Tom Jones deserve the mention as well." (From @___Zephyr___ via Twitter, thanks)

https://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/the-30-greatest-lead-singers-of-all-time-315448

The 30 greatest lead singers of all time according to Music Radar's poll:

1. Axl Rose (Guns N' Roses)
2. Freddie Mercury (Queen)
3. Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin)
4. Ronnie James Dio (Rainbow, Dio, Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell)
5. John Lennon (The Beatles)
6. Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden)
7. Thom Yorke (Radiohead)
8. Kurt Cobain (Nirvana)
9. Matt Bellamy (Muse)
10. Paul McCartney (The Beatles, Wings)
11. Jim Morrison (The Doors)
12. James Hetfield (Metallica)
13. Maynard James Keenan (Tool)
14. Mick Jagger (The Rolling Stones)
15. James LaBrie (Dream Theater)
16. Bon Scott (AC/DC)
17. Steven Tyler (Aerosmith)
18. Roger Daltrey (The Who)
19. Geddy Lee (Rush)
20. Morrissey (The Smiths)
21. Liam Gallagher (Oasis)
22. Jack White (The White Stripes, The Raconteurs)
23. Joe Strummer (The Clash)
24. Stevie Nicks (Fleetwood Mac)
25. Iggy Pop (The Stooges)
26. Smokey Robinson (The Miracles)
27. Black Francis / Frank Black (Pixies)
28. Diana Ross  (The Supremes)
29. Debbie Harry (Blondie)
30. Martha Reeves (Martha And The Vandellas)